Mauro Icardi’s latest confrontation has come far from the pitch. The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has hit back at Argentina’s Transport Ministry after it used footage of him driving in a road-safety campaign and alleged that he was behind the wheel without a valid licence.
The video, posted on the ministry’s social-media channels, showed Icardi in a car alongside actress Eugenia “China” Suárez. The footage showed a passenger without a seat belt and Icardi leaning his upper body out of the vehicle’s window.
Argentina’s transport department, led by Martín Marinucci, turned the clip into a warning over dangerous driving behaviour. It stated that the 33-year-old had been driving without a licence and announced a preventive suspension running until 2099.
Icardi cites Italian licence
Icardi, who is without a club after leaving Galatasaray during the summer, immediately disputed the ministry’s claim. The former Inter Milan and PSG striker said he holds an Italian driving licence valid until 2029.
He argued that Argentine regulations require a domestic licence to be handed back when its holder possesses a European one. Icardi described the ministry’s action as an attempt to generate media attention.
Under the department’s announced measure, Icardi would have to undergo an assessment of his fitness to drive should he seek to obtain an Argentine licence again.
Former PSG striker launches angry response
The Argentine did not limit his response to the licence issue. In a direct message aimed at the authorities, he called on the ministry to focus on the country’s road infrastructure rather than social-media posts.
“Fix the streets so that traffic can move better in our country instead of spending your time tweeting and scratching yourselves,” Icardi said. “Stop lying to people and get to work.”
